Enteroviruses as indicators of water quality

Abstract

Enteroviruses belong to enteric virus group, which is composed by pathogens often isolated from water contaminated with fecal pollution. They receive this classification mainly due to their ability to replicate in the host’s gut and be transmitted through the fecal-oral route. This group of virus resist to high concentrations of chlorine, showing resistance to the usual protocols for treatment of water. Monitoring of fecal pollution in water is usually performed through the detection and quantification of fecal coliforms. When coliforms are present, it is recommendable to avoid the human consumption of water. However, several authors reported the presence of enteric viruses in water samples that are free of coliforms, this fact might indicate that this bacterial parameter is a non reliable indicator of fecal pollution. Besides, among the pathogens transmitted by water, the presence of enteroviruses is considered by WHO a reliable indicator of fecal contamination and related with epidemic diseases transmitted by water. This fact is exacerbated due the frequency of enterovírus causing habitual diseases, such as diarrhea and conjunctivitis, as well as more severe diseases, including meningitis and encephalitis.